

Father Bill W.
Father Bill W.
I’m an Episcopal (Anglican) priest in recovery from alcoholism since 1972. I've spent my career in addiction treatment focused on 12-Step spirituality and exploring the pioneer history of AA. In discovering the lost 11th Step practice of Two Way Prayer, my program underwent a life-changing transformation. As Bill Wilson said, “ something was lost from AA when we stopped emphasizing the morning meditation." My mission now is helping people in 12-Step Fellowships explore a deeper understanding of spiritual practice and how it connects us to the "Great Reality" within. -Fr. Bill W.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 15, 2021 • 32min
God and Addiction: I'm Your Addiction... and I'm here to Kill You!
Fr. Bill explores the Evil lying at the heart of real addiction.
Jungian therapist David Schoen maintains that all true addictions are intent on bringing death to their victims. This episode explores the very real, but hidden, depth of this Evil. An Evil that Jung dared calling “the Devil” in his letter to Bill Wilson.
Show Notes:
· The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addiction-David-Schoen/dp/1882670574/
· Copy of the Letters Between Wilson and Jung: https://speakingofjung.com/blog/2015/11/13/the-bill-w-carl-jung-letters/
· Bill W. by Robert Thomsen
https://www.amazon.com/Bill-absorbing-deeply-co-founder-Alcoholics/dp/1568383436/

Sep 8, 2021 • 30min
God and Addiction: How Addiction Develops, Imprisons, and Kills
Fr. Bill launches into Chapter Two of The War of the Gods in Addiction examining the Five Stages of the addiction process as presented by Jungian analyst David E. Schoen. Drinking, drugging, food or any addiction that usually starts off promising a solution to our inner psychic splits, often lead to our death sentence. This episode traces the course of their development in "the real alcoholic or addict."
Show Notes:
· The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addiction-David-Schoen/dp/1882670574/
· Copy of the Letters Between Wilson and Jung: https://speakingofjung.com/blog/2015/11/13/the-bill-w-carl-jung-letters/

Aug 31, 2021 • 30min
God and Addiction: Dr. Jung's Prescription for Recovery
Fr. Bill continues an in-depth exploration of how and why Jung believed that only a divine connection and our being in community with others is powerful enough to overcome real addiction. The series builds on the book The War of the Gods in Addiction by Jungian analyst David E. Schoen. This episode explores Jung’s letter to Bill Wilson.
Show Notes:
· The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addiction-David-Schoen/dp/1882670574/
· Copy of the Letters Between Wilson and Jung: https://speakingofjung.com/blog/2015/11/13/the-bill-w-carl-jung-letters/

Aug 24, 2021 • 29min
God and Addiction: Hope for the Hopeless
Fr. Bill begins an in-depth exploration of how and why only a divine connection may be powerful enough to overcome real addiction. The series builds on the book The War of the Gods in Addiction by Jungian analyst David E. Schoen. This episode explores the letter from Bill Wilson to C.J Jung.
Show Notes:
· The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addiction-David-Schoen/dp/1882670574/
· Copy of the Letters Between Wilson and Jung: https://speakingofjung.com/blog/2015/11/13/the-bill-w-carl-jung-letters/

Aug 4, 2021 • 42min
Bonus Episode: Starting a Two Way Prayer Group
Father Bill shares his experience in starting Two Way Prayer groups. The episode includes a small-group model that has proved successful along with reflections from several Two Way Prayer group members. Cautions are also included.
Show Notes:
· A suggested format for conducting a Zoom or in-person meeting is on the Two Way Prayer website: here
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f50b318fe914e1b2aa32bfb/t/6037ae010ba7235be05479cc/1614261761891/starting-zoom.pdf
· An interesting article on the origins of small groups crediting Sam Shoemaker for his pioneering work is here:
https://www.smallgroups.com/articles/2014/pioneers-of-small-group-movement.html

Jul 28, 2021 • 28min
Bonus Episode: A Primer for Prayer Partners
Father Bill shares his experiences finding and fostering successful partnerships with Two Way Prayer. While the morning prayer practice is basically an individual one, this simple set of guidelines can help you build a more effective and fruitful sharing relationship.
Show Notes:
· Suggested Guidelines for Prayer Partnerships here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f50b318fe914e1b2aa32bfb/t/6037b13268c4456044b098d3/1614262578580/A+Suggested+Guide+for+Two+Way+Prayer+Partners.pdf/
· To share an experience about your prayer partnership please write: TwoWayPrayer@Gmail.com

Jul 12, 2021 • 30min
Pioneer Prayer: Daily Quiet Times with God - How I do the Practice
There is no set formula for doing a daily Quiet Time, but there are elements common to all. In this final episode, Fr. Bill shares some reflections on what the practice has meant to him over the past 28 years and reads a sample writing from his Two Way Prayer journal.
Show Notes:
Dick B.’s book Good Morning has been the primary guidebook for this series: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Quiet-Watch-Meditation/dp/1885803222
The Authors that were mentioned that specialize in First Century Christianity:
Marcus Borg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Borg
John Dominic Crossan: https://www.amazon.com/John-Dominic-Crossan/e/B000AP7O2C%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Reading was from Thomas R. Kelly, A Testament of Devotion: https://www.amazon.com/Testament-Devotion-Thomas-R-Kelly/dp/0060643617
To receive an electronic copy of a format for using Two Way Prayer in meetings please write:TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com

Jul 8, 2021 • 30min
Pioneer Prayer: Daily Times with God- Guidance: The Hidden Secret Ingredient in Step 11
Bill Wilson wanted to keep AA from being too closely associated with the Oxford Group in the mind of the public. As a result, references to Quiet Time and Listening to God were present but made intentionally vague in the Big Book. Father Bill helps sort some of this out in this episode. It may help shed some new light on Step 11.

Jun 26, 2021 • 30min
Pioneer Prayer: Daily Quiet Times with God- Oxford Group Prayer Practices
Oxford Group members had no set formulas for their morning meditation or their prayer practices; but their focus was on finding and following the Guidance they needed and received from God. In this episode Fr. Bill reviews their approach to prayer and meditation with an eye toward using it to improve our 11th Step practice.
Notes:
To listen to a workshop, several are recorded on Recovery Tapers / Two Way Prayer Workshops: https://www.recoverytapers.com/two-way-prayer
Good Morning by Dick B.: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Quiet-Watch-Meditation/dp/1885803222

Jun 19, 2021 • 33min
Pioneer Prayer: Daily Quiet Times with God-AA's Two Way Prayer Roots
Oxford Group founder Frank Buchman committed himself to “changing the world,” one person at a time. Through watching his own experience and then experimenting with others to find what worked with them, he collected a set of spiritual principles and practices that Bill Wilson later formulated into the 12 Steps. In this episode, Fr. Bill explores some of the historical roots of what became our 11th Step.
Show Notes:
Recovery Tapers Two Way Prayer Workshops:
· https://www.recoverytapers.com/two-way-prayer
· Good Morning by Dick B.
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Quiet-Watch-Meditation/dp/1885803222
· The Secret of Guidance by F.B. Meyer (free pdf version) https://www.ccel.org/m/meyer/guidance/guidance.htm
· For Sinners Only by A.J. Russell (free pdf version)
https://www.twolisteners.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/ForSinnersOnly.pdf